


Familiar Shadows

by sixclawsdragon



Category: Magic Kaito, 名探偵コナン | Detective Conan | Case Closed
Genre: Black Org Toichi, Black Organization (Meitantei Conan), Evil Kuroba Toichi, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-18
Updated: 2019-10-18
Packaged: 2020-12-21 15:55:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21077507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixclawsdragon/pseuds/sixclawsdragon
Summary: A dark figure waits for Kaitou Kid on a rooftop after a heist, with an offer.“Really, Kaito, I would have thought you’d be happy to see me.”





	Familiar Shadows

“Well done.” A familiar voice says from behind Kaito as he lands on a rooftop well away from his heist location. He turns, poker face in place. A figure dressed in black smiles at him under a half mask.

“I appreciate the compliment,” Kaito says, bowing lightly. “But I don’t believe we’ve met.”

“Haven’t we?” The man asks, amusement clear in his tone, which is still oddly familiar. Kaito’s heard this voice before, but it takes him a moment to place it. _Kuroba Toichi._ Kaito is irritated, but he’s careful not to let it show. Just how many impersonators are out there?

“You’re not bad, as imposters go.” He says, subtly assessing the winds for a glider getaway. “But you’re not the first I’ve seen. It’s an old trick by now.”

“Really, Kaito, I would have thought you’d be happy to see me.” The man chuckles, and Kaito freezes as he reaches up to remove his mask. The face is Toichi’s, but that means nothing in this world. What _does_ mean something, however, is the use of Kaito’s real name. 

“Mom, I swear, if you’re-” He starts, but the man laughs, silencing him.

“Chikage is still up to her old tricks, then?” He muses. “You can check for a mask if it would convince you.”

Kaito is wary, but he slowly approaches the man, who remains still. He pinches the man’s cheek, but it’s real. Kaito runs his fingers across his face where the edges of a mask would be, but finds nothing, which is impossible, because that means-

“Dad?”

“Of course.” Toichi smiles, embracing Kaito.

“But-how? You died.” Kaito had been there, had seen the theatre go up in flames, had cried for weeks afterwards.

“You know how easy it is to fool an audience.” Toichi says, releasing Kaito, who steps back enough to regain his personal space.

“Then it was just another trick?” He says, angry now. “Why? Why would you do that to us?”

“I had to leave, and your mother would have tried to track me down if she knew.” Toichi shows no remorse, just shrugs. “But that’s why I’m here tonight.”

Kaito wants to ask if he’s coming home, but he refuses to sound like a child, and he doesn’t quite trust this.

“I left the Kid room for you to find.” Toichi explains when Kaito doesn’t say anything. “I gave you everything you needed to become Kid, and you did.”

“To find out why you died.” Kaito says. “But apparently you _didn’t_.”

“But you’ve carried on what you saw as my mission. You’ve improved greatly since your first heist, Kaito. You’re ready for the truth.” Toichi looks like this is a good thing, but Kaito isn’t sure he wants to know.

“You know how I met your mother, and how I became Kid.” He continues. “But you don’t have the whole story. You see, it’s true that I didn’t plan to be Kid, but I was trying to get Chikage out of the way of the Organization, and its search for Pandora.

“One of the underlings had approached her about using her skills as Phantom Lady to find the gem, but I knew she would only be in the way. I invented Kid to get her away from the whole business, and I took charge of the search for the next few years.”

“You...you were working for them?” Kaito asks, horrified.

“Yes, Kaito. Keep up.” Toichi brushes him off. “As I was saying, I led the hunt as Kid until I was needed elsewhere. That’s when I arranged the accident at the theatre. Without my life as famous magician Kuroba Toichi to hold me back, I was able to move freely as the Organization needed me. But I’ve known since you were a child that you could be useful someday, so I left you the role of Kid, to train you. And what a fine thief you’ve turned out to be. I couldn’t be more proud.”

Toichi smiles, and Kaito feels like the world has turned upside down. Everything he’d thought he knew is a lie, and he doesn’t know what to do.

“Now it’s time for you to join me, son.” Toichi continues. “With your skills, you could have your pick of assignments, from intelligence to assassination.”

“No!” Kaito blurts out, poker face shattered by now. “I’m not a killer, I’m just a magician.”

“You’re a thief, Kaito. And it’s time to move on from the childish game of Kid. There are bigger fish to fry.” 

“I _hate_ fish.” Kaito growls. “And you would know that if you had stuck around to be my dad instead of running off with Snake’s stupid organization!”

“Snake? Please, he’s hardly even a decent operative. He could never be put in charge of something like this.” Toichi scoffs, and another horrifying thought occurs to Kaito.

“_You_ sent the snipers to my heists!” He accuses.

“Yes.” Toichi nods. “And it was a valuable learning experience for you.”

Kaito shakes his head, not wanting to believe any of this. He has to get away, won’t go with his da-with Toichi, that man isn’t his father anymore.

“So everything was a lie?” He asks, trying to stall while he comes up with an escape plan. “Is your name even Kuroba Toichi?”

“Sometimes. Though at work they call me Crow.” Toichi says, casual while Kaito panics.

“You said a magician shouldn’t lose their sense of wonder. You said my job was to entertain, that magic brought that wonder to people. You said Kid was a force for good!” Kaito is shouting by the time he finishes.

“I’ve said a lot of things, Kaito. I’m a thief, is it really so hard to imagine that I could have lied?” Toichi chuckles. “I never intended to wear white. Black is more our color. We are Kurobas, after all.” He says, referring to the kanji that make up their family name: black and feather.

“Sorry,” Kaito manages some semblance of a Kid grin, reaching for that familiar persona to hold himself together. “But I think I’ll have to refuse. White is just so flattering on me, don’t you think?”

He turns tail and _runs_ for the edge of the building, leaping into the air with a jerk of his harness as the glider snaps out. He steers erratically, hoping he isn’t about to be shot in the back by his own father. He needs to land, the glider is too visible, too white against the darkness, but _where_? Where can he go?

Not home, Toichi knows where he lives. Not to the Nakamori house, even if Nakamori is all but a second dad to him and Aoko is his best friend. Toichi knows them too, and he can’t tell them he’s Kid. He doesn’t know if any of his safe houses are really safe, doesn’t know which ones Toichi knows about. He doesn’t even know if Jii can be trusted right now. Hakuba? He can trust Hakuba to judge international organized crime as worse than jewel heists and not arrest him, but is he really okay with getting him involved in this mess? Kaito wants to protect his friends, not bring danger to their doorsteps.

_Tantei-kun_. He realizes, turning sharply to head for the empty Kudo house. Kudo is already involved, Kaito trusts him, and he may be able to help. It’s settled.

He lands roughly on the roof with an audible thump. He folds up the glider and hurriedly ducks inside through a second story window, hoping he hasn’t been seen. He shuts the window behind him, sighing in relief, only to turn around and come face to face with Kudo holding a bat, tiny but determined.

“Switching sports, Tantei-kun?” He holds his hands up in innocence, but can’t resist a witty remark.

“My watch got broken during a case, and I don’t have the ball belt or the shoes on me when I’m asleep.” Kudo says, lowering the bat. “What are you doing here?”

“I have some...new intel I thought you might be interested in.” Kaito says, and Kudo just raises an eyebrow at him.

“At two in the morning?” He says, clearly not believing Kaito. Kaito just sighs.

“Look, it’s been a rough night, and I need some help.” He admits. “I want to talk about your men in black. I really do have information.”

Kudo pales but takes Kaito to the library, where they sit down to talk.

“What happened? How are They involved?” Kudo starts as soon as they’re seated.

“Someone...close to me tried to recruit me after a heist.” Kaito sums it up. “I panicked and came here.”

“Do they know who you are?” Kudo leans forward.

“Yes. My identity, where I live, everything.” Kaito says, and Kudo leans back, sighing.

“Unless you’d like to see what it’s like to be six years old again, we’ll need a plan.” He says, deep in thought. “How do they know so much?”

“I...it was my dad. Who came for me.” Kaito admits, everything coming out in one big jumble of words. “He’s been with them since before I was born, and I had no idea, I thought he was dead. He set me up, made me Kid, so he could exploit me. God, is that why my name is Kaito? Some sick joke from him?” He laughs shakily, head in his hands.

“Kid.” Kudo reaches out to lay a small hand on his shoulder. “Tell me as much as you’re comfortable with. I need to know what we’re getting into.”

“I’ll tell you everything, Meitantei.” Kaito sighs, taking off his hat and monocle. He’s too tired for games right now, and this has been a long time coming anyway, given that he knows Kudo’s secrets. “I’m Kuroba Kaito. Nice to meet you.”

“Kuroba, like Kuroba Toichi?” Kudo asks, then puts things together before Kaito can answer. “He’s your dad, isn’t he, and he was the first Kid.”

“And he’s been some kind of secret evil mastermind this whole time, apparently.” Kaito adds.

“I need to have a talk with Mom about her old friends.” Kudo mutters, speaking more to himself than to Kaito, though Kaito doesn’t have it in him to be curious about that right now.

“Okay.” Kudo says, louder now, running a hand through his hair. “First things first. Who else lives with you? Will they be safe now that you know about your dad?”

“It’s just my mom, and I’m honestly not sure.” Kaito admits. “I don’t think he would go after my friend Aoko or her dad, so they should be okay for now.”

“Do you think your mom knows about any of this?” Kudo asks, and Kaito shakes his head.

“No, Da-Toichi said she didn’t know. That’s why he faked his death, so he could leave us.” Kaito says, then recounts everything Toichi had told him about his “death,” Kid, and the organization. He’s wiping his eyes by the end, tears finally coming now that he’s safe. Kudo hands him a box of tissues and doesn’t push.

“I think,” Kudo finally says. “Based on the fact that your mom would be in his way if she found out he’s alive, she’ll be safe, at least for now.”

It’s a small comfort, but Kaito will take what he can get at this point.

“He’ll probably be watching your house after this, he’ll want to either try again to recruit you or make sure you won’t be a problem for him.” Kudo continues. “It’s too dangerous for you to go home. We’ll have to get your mother out eventually, but not tonight.”

Kaito just nods, drained. Kudo hops down from his chair.

“You can stay here tonight, I’ll lend you something to sleep in. We can plan tomorrow.” Kudo takes Kaito upstairs to his bedroom, where he grabs a shirt and a pair of sweatpants from his dresser, before leading Kaito to another room, presumably a guest room.

“Here, these should fit you.” He says, handing Kaito the clothes. “We’re about the same size. Or...we were, at least.” His smile is strained as he corrects himself.

“I’ll see you tomorrow. Good night.” He nods at Kaito and heads down the hall to his own room.

Kaito changes into Kudo’s clothes, dropping his suit in a crumpled heap on the floor. It’ll have to be ironed later, but he’s too tired to hang it or even fold it. He’s pretty sure he left the hat and monocle downstairs, but that’s another thing for tomorrow-Kaito to worry about. Tonight-Kaito just wants to sleep. And so he does, albeit fitfully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kaito wakes in an unfamiliar room, but as he sits up in Kudo’s guest bed, the disaster of last night hits him all over again. It seems somehow more real now, in the daylight. His dad is alive and evil. He shakes his head, willing those thoughts away. He’ll have to think about it again soon enough to plan with Kudo, but he doesn’t have to start his morning with doom and gloom.

He makes the bed when he gets up, and picks his wrinkled suit up off the floor. He isn’t sure how long he’ll be here, so he slips a few important things (his phone, a deck of cards, etc) into the pockets of his borrowed sweatpants before folding the suit and leaving it on the end of the bed.

He hadn’t really looked at the clothes when he put them on last night, which is why he’s just now realizing that his shirt says “Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Academy” on it in large black kanji. Kaito is probably the last person who would own a shirt like this, but he’s not at all surprised that Kudo does.

He realizes that he’s going to have to contact Jii and his mom to tell them he’s alright, since he never reported in after the heist last night, and he hasn’t gone home. But that can wait too, he decides. He sticks his head out into the hallway, noting that Kudo’s bedroom door is open. When Kaito steps out into the hall to look into the room, Kudo isn’t there, so he’s clearly already awake.

He’s on his way downstairs to look for Kudo when he hears him talking.

“Yes, Ran-neechan, I’ll be home for dinner.” He says, presumably on the phone, using that exaggerated childish voice he puts on sometimes. “Okay, I will. Bye!”

Kaito clears his throat, hovering in the doorway rather than intrude. Kudo turns around and pockets his phone.

“Hey. Sorry about that.” He frowns. “Ran thinks I spent the night at the Professor’s house, and I told her I won’t be home yet because Haibara and I are playing some new video game the kids like.”

“It’s fine.” Kaito shrugs and sits down at the kitchen table. “What now?”

“Coffee.” Kudo says, nodding at a mug sitting at the place across from Kaito’s. It’s still steaming, and there’s a silhouette of Sherlock Holmes on it. “Do you want a cup? Or anything to eat? I don’t have a lot, since technically no one lives here. Sorry.”

“Do you have hot chocolate?” Kaito asks, and Kudo nods, though he also makes a face.

“Yeah, but you’re lucky my mom likes it, or I wouldn’t.” He drags a chair from the table over to the counter, climbs up on to it, and grabs a mug from the cabinet. Kaito offers to help, but Kudo turns him down, so he sits at the table and watches while Kudo makes his hot chocolate and a stack of microwave pancakes.

“Here.” Kudo sets Kaito’s plate and mug in front of him and sits down across from him. Kaito picks it up and raises an eyebrow.

“‘World’s Okayest Detective?’” He reads, and Kudo blushes.

“It was a gift, okay?” He says, taking a sip of his coffee. “Sonoko thought it was funny, so it was her idea of a present for my last birthday.”

“And what about the shirt?” Kaito asks, nodding at his borrowed police academy shirt. “Do you dress all your international thief guests like this?”

“I just grabbed something soft for you to sleep in.” Kudo shrugs. “It was dark, it was complete chance that you got that shirt. I ended up with it after one of my shirts had to be turned in as evidence. They had to give me something to wear, and I think Megure was trying to hint at a future job opening.”

“You’re practically a cop already, with how often you work with them.” Kaito points out.

“Maybe, but I’m just a consultant.” He pauses. “I’m not even sure if that’s true of Conan, actually. I do the same amount of work, but I have to let others take credit for a lot of it, and there’s probably some rule about consultants being over a certain age.”

“I wouldn’t know. My skills lie in breaking the law, not enforcing it.” Kaito jokes, or at least tries to. It doesn’t come out quite as lighthearted as he’d intended.

“We can discuss that later, but I’m pretty sure I could get you a job on my side of the law.” Kudo waves a hand, and Kaito wonders exactly how a six/sixteen year old ends up with multiple police departments and intelligence agencies from not one, but _two_ countries willing to take his word as law.

“Anyway, we have a lot of planning to do.” Kudo moves on. “We need to keep you and your family and friends safe. Wait here.” He hops down from his chair and leaves the room. Kaito drinks his hot chocolate and waits.

Kudo comes back dragging a huge whiteboard on wheels, like something that belongs in a college classroom. It looks like he’s struggling, but he has it where he wants it before Kaito can offer to help.

“There, now we can work while you eat.” Kudo grabs a marker from the tray beneath the whiteboard and climbs up on his chair to write “Kuroba” in the middle of the board. “Okay, give me a list of people who could be in danger because of this.”

Kaito lists them, and Kudo adds their names below Kaito’s own. The list is short, thankfully, just Kaito’s mom, the Nakamoris, Jii, and Hakuba. Kudo makes a note by the names of those who don’t know Kid’s identity. He circles “Kuroba” and “Kuroba’s mom” as their top priorities.

“I’m not sure if I can trust Jii anymore.” Kaito says suddenly. “He was Toichi’s assistant too, and I don’t know if he knows about any of this.”

“Alright, we’ll figure that out.” Kudo adds a note by Jii’s name and caps the marker. “You and your mother are in the most immediate danger. It’s very likely that your father will want you out of the way now that he knows you won’t join him. You’re a threat to him now.”

“So, what, I have to sign up for the witness protection program?” Kaito asks. “He was my dad, he knows too much about my life for me to just keep living it.”

“Calm down.” Kudo says, hopping down from his chair to take a sip of his coffee. “Our first steps are to move your mother somewhere safer, and to find out how much your assistant knows.”

“What about me?” Kaito asks, feeling like he’s missed something. Kudo just looks at him.

“You’re staying here.” He says. “I thought that was obvious.”

“Oh.” Kaito wasn’t expecting that. Kudo mistakes his surprise for something else, apparently, because he scrambles to amend his words.

“If you want to, of course. It’s safe enough here, and your dad doesn’t know who I am, so he has no reason to look for you here.” He adds, fiddling with the marker in his hands.

“Thank you, Meitantei.” Kaito says sincerely. “I’ll stay.”

“Good. We can see about getting some of your stuff from your house to bring here.” Kudo seems relieved. “I’ll let you decide whether or not you want your mom to stay here too. I can probably find somewhere else if not.”

“We can ask her.” Kaito decides. “I am _not_ looking forward to telling her about Toichi.”

“You shouldn’t be seen with me, but we need to go to your house.” Kudo says. “I know you’re good at disguises, so you’ll have to call your mother and tell her to expect us, and then disguise us. We want to look like family friends who stopped by for a visit, or something. You can use my mom’s supplies.”

“Your mom?” Kaito raises an eyebrow, curious.

“She’s an actress, she learned from-” Kudo pasues. “Your dad, actually.”

“Not to be paranoid, but you may want to watch her for signs of criminal activity.” Kaito warns, wary of the coincidence. Kudo just snorts.

“I’m already paranoid, but thanks for the tip.”

Kaito nods at his empty dishes. “Should I put these in the sink?” Kudo nods, and he does.

“Let’s go.” Kudo says, dragging the whiteboard out of the kitchen. “We should get started.”

One of the back wheels catches on the doorframe, and Kaito discreetly nudges it free with his foot while Kudo tugs frustratedly at the front end. He’s picked up on Kudo’s reluctance to accept help when he struggles due to his size, but what Kudo doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

They head down the hall to the library, which seems to be Kudo’s first choice for a base of operations. Kudo returns the whiteboard to its place along the wall then scribbles something in the lower corner.

“I’ll get Mom’s disguise kit, and then we’ll go over the plan.” He says, leaving Kaito in the library to read over the notes on the board. The new addition is messier than the original list, and doesn’t quite make sense when Kaito leans down to read it.

Part of it says “_test the assistant,_” and Kaito isn’t sure exactly what that means, just that it’s about Jii. The rest seems to be about their current plan to visit Kaito’s house in disguise. Kudo comes back, and Kaito straightens up.

“Here.” Kudo says, dragging a trunk into the room. “Make it look like you’re my older brother, or something.”

He goes back to the whiteboard while Kaito digs through the trunk to see what he’s got to work with. He starts setting aside things he plans to use while Kudo explains.

“We’ll visit your house like I said earlier, and talk to your mom. We’ll change back in a bathroom on the way back here, so we can’t be followed.” He says. “Your mother will leave the next day, as if she’s going shopping or running errands. I’m assuming she can disguise herself too, so she’ll have to change on the way, and then she’ll either join us here or go a third location. The next step of the plan is to test your assistant. You probably won’t like this idea, but it’s the best thing I could come up with.”

“What is it?” Kaito looks up from the disguise trunk.

“You’d have to go meet with him and pretend you’ve changed your mind about joining the organization. I know you’re a good actor, you’d just have to make him think you want him to tell your dad for you.” Kudo says. “If he’s in on it, he’ll agree. If he doesn’t know anything, that’ll be obvious.”

Kudo’s right, Kaito doesn’t like it. He doesn’t _want_ to lie to Jii like that, but he’s willing to admit it’s a pretty good plan.

“Alright.” He finally says. “I’ll do it. But if he isn’t part of this, I’m telling him everything.” Jii deserves to know about Toichi. Kudo agrees, and Kaito throws a wig into his pile of supplies.

“I’m ready to do our disguises if you want to visit my mom today.” He says. “We can be there by this afternoon.”

“Sounds good. Call your mom first, though.” Kudo reminds him before Kaito sits him down to start doing the makeup for his disguise.

“I will.” Kaito says distractedly, eventually pulling his phone out of his pocket with one hand while changing the color of Kudo’s eyebrows to match the wig he’d picked out for him. He dials and puts it on speaker, handing it to Kudo.

“Kaito? Where have you been, I’ve-” Chikage starts to lecture, but Kaito cuts her off.

“Hi, Mom!” He says brightly, being careful just in case anyone is listening in on his phone call. “You’re on speaker. I’m fine, I’m just taking care of a few things. I wanted to let you know that I ran into your friend Takayama earlier today.”

“Oh?” Chikage knows her son well enough to know something is odd.

“Yeah, he and his son Shinji are gonna stop by and visit you later. He said he wanted to catch up, since it’s been a while.” Kaito says, pulling a name out of thin air.

“I’ll have to tidy up a bit, then. Thank you for telling me.” Chikage says, getting the message.

“No problem. Bye!” Kaito nods at Kudo, who ends the call for him.

“Am I Shinji, then?” Kudo asks, looking down at Kaito’s Tuxedo Mask lockscreen on the phone in his lap.

“Yep. Eyes up here, Tantei-kun. I need you to stay still if you want this to look good.” Kaito hums while he finishes up.

“There.” He says proudly, standing back to look Kudo over. “Now you just need your wig and clothes. Do you have anything a little more like what a real kid would wear?”

“Hey, I wore this stuff when I was really six.” Kudo protests, nodding at his 221B shirt.

“Yes,” Kaito says. “But I need you to dress like a _normal _kid.”

Kudo pouts but goes to change. Kaito gets started on his own makeup in the meantime. His disguise needs to be better than Kudo’s, since Toichi knows Kaito a lot better, but he’s confident in his skills. He’s applying a fake beard when Kudo comes back in a bright blue shirt with a dinosaur on it.

“Are you happy now?” He asks, crossing his arms.

“Looks good, son.” Kaito says in the voice he plans to use for Takayama. Kudo just shakes his head and sits down to watch Kaito work. It’s faster to do his own disguise, because he’s done it so often by now that he knows what works and what doesn’t, what’s best to change his appearance.

“Can I borrow your dad’s clothes or something?” He asks, remembering that he doesn’t have anything but his Kid suit here.

“You can borrow whatever you want.” Kudo says, then looks at Kaito’s grin and rolls his eyes. “Whatever _clothes_ you want, idiot.”

“Why, Tantei-kun, are you accusing me of something?” Kaito lays a hand over his heart in mock offense.

“Maybe I am.” Kudo smirks. “You’re like a genie or something, I have to be specific.”

“Now there’s a fun idea. Kaitou Kid, granter of wishes.” Kaito says grandly. “What would you wish for?”

“I’d think that’s pretty obvious.” Kudo says, crossing his arms again.

“And who says I can’t grant that wish?” Kaito asks.

“Unless you’re secretly some kind of genius medical researcher, I doubt it.” Kudo shrugs. 

“You never know.” Kaito winks, trying to keep the mood light. And it’s not really impossible, anyway. Kudo wants to take down the Organization, and so does Kaito. Now they’re working together more closely than before, and Kudo has all his FBI friends. Maybe they really can do it, and if they get the little scientist’s original data, Kudo has said he’s sure she can make a cure for the poison that shrunk them both.

Kaito finishes his makeup, and Kudo shows him to his dad’s closet, where Kaito picks out some clothes that won’t look too big on him. He puts wigs on himself and Kudo, adds a few final touch-ups, and they’re off. They take the train looking like a father and his young son, Kudo chattering about Kamen Yaiba occasionally to add to the act. Kaito holds Kudo’s hand in the station when they get off, to his great annoyance, but lets go when they’re out on the less crowded streets. They both keep an eye out for anyone who might be watching them.

It’s not far to Kaito’s house, and it doesn’t take long before they’re knocking on the door. Chikage answers, playing along with the act.

“It’s so nice to see you, Takayama-san.” She says, smiling. “It’s been quite a while.”

“Sorry for stopping by without warning, but I thought we’d come and surprise you.” Kaito says, and Chikage shakes her head.

“Kaito called after he ran into you and told me you’d be coming.” She looks down at Kudo. “I’m sure you don’t remember me, Shinji-kun. The last time I saw you, you were only two years old.”

“Dad told me about you. He says if I’m good, you might give me a cookie!” Kudo says. Thankfully, the innocent little kid act is nothing new for him.

“I just might.” Chikage laughs. “But where are my manners? Please, come in.”

They all head to the living room, keeping up the small talk until Kaito and Kudo have checked the room for bugs and found it clear.

“Now, why don’t you tell me what’s really going on?” Chikage asks when they’re all sitting down.

“Here we go.” Kaito mutters, shaking his head. “Sorry for not calling after the heist last night, but something happened.”

Chikage glances at Kudo before looking back to Kaito, a silent question.

“He knows, it’s okay.” Kaito reassures her. “This is Edogawa Conan, he’s a detective.”

“A detective? How interesting.” Chikage says in a way that tells Kaito he’ll have to explain later exactly how a detective (even a very young-looking one) came to learn his secrets.

“Anyway,” Kaito tries to get them back on track. “The heist itself went fine, I left on the glider and landed on a nearby building afterwards. I was planning to go down through the building, change, and head home. But there was someone else there...and I know you might not believe me, but…it was Dad.”

“Are you sure?” Chikage asks, suddenly very serious. “You know how easy it would be for someone to pretend-”

“I’m sure.” Kaito cuts her off. “It was him. He’s been alive this whole time.”

“Then why wouldn’t he come back? Is he in some kind of trouble?” Chikage asks, and Kaito sighs heavily.

“No, Mom. He _is_ some kind of trouble. He’s been working for the organization Snake belongs to since before you two even met. He lied to both of us.” Kaito looks down at his lap, not wanting to watch his mother process this, no matter how well she’s hiding it. “He told me he set me up to become Kid to train me, and now he wants me to join them. I turned him down and ran. I spent the night with Conan, since Toichi wouldn’t know to look for me there.”

“And that’s why you two are here in disguise now.” Chikage finishes for him, choosing not to comment on Kaito’s use of his father’s given name.

“You’re both in danger now that Kuroba has made it clear he’s still working against Them.” Kudo speaks up. “Kuroba’s staying with me, but he said we should ask you whether you’d prefer to stay with me or find another safe place.”

“I won’t ask how you’re involved in all this.” Chikage starts. “If my son trusts you, that’s good enough for me. But I’d prefer to find my own place to stay. I still have contacts from the old days that my husband wouldn’t know about.”

Kudo nods, accepting her decision.

“This house may be being watched, so you should leave without taking too much with you.” He says. “Make it look like an ordinary errand. Disguise yourself somewhere on the way so you’re not followed.”

“Don’t worry, I can handle this.” Chikage smiles. “This isn’t the first time I’ve had to do things like this, and it probably won’t be the last. I’m more worried about you two. Toichi is more likely to go after Kaito than me, given that I’m not holding flashy public heists. Keep him safe, little detective.”

“I will.” Kudo promises.

“I can keep myself safe, thank you very much.” Kaito says. “I can’t believe my own mother trusts a detective more than me. I don’t know if my pride will ever recover!”

Kudo elbows him, and Chikage stifles a giggle when Kaito sticks his tongue out at him.

“I’ll use a burner phone or something to contact you in the future.” Kaito says, serious again. He sighs. “This is probably gonna get worse before it gets better.”

“You boys should be getting home.” Chikage says. “I’ll take care of getting myself out of here, and we’ll talk about this more after that.”

“Alright.” Kaito nods, standing up. “I just need to get a few things from my room. You coming, Conan?”

Kudo nods and hops down, following Kaito upstairs. He’ll admit he never thought he’d willingly bring a detective into his home, much less the Kid room, but somehow Kudo’s different. They’ve both got secrets, but if they’re going to put so much on the line to fight the men in black, they may as well be completely honest with each other.

“You’re gonna love this.” He grins at Kudo once they’re in his room. “As much fun as it would be to let you try and find it yourself, we’re short on time, so I’m just going to show you.”

The look on Kudo’s face when Kaito pushes the painting and it rotates is worth everything. He leaves Kudo to gawk at the secret room while he gathers what he needs.

“Oh, don’t touch anything, by the way.” He looks over his shoulder at Kudo, who pauses reaching for one of the gadgets on his shelves, caught red handed. “Not everything in here is safe to handle if you don’t know how.”

Kudo lets his hand drop to his side, and Kaito laughs.

“Well, what do you think?” He asks, curious. “Is it anything like you expected?”

“I certainly didn’t expect an international jewel thief to be operating out of his _bedroom_, no.” Kudo says. “The way you are, I had pictured something more...grand, I suppose.”

“I’m flattered...I think.” Kaito shrugs. “Toichi built this place, I just inherited it.”

“And it took you sixteen years to find it?” Kudo raises an eyebrow, teasing. Kaito huffs.

“We can’t all be detectives.” He says, throwing the things he’s gathered into a discreet bag.

“I suppose not.” Kudo agrees, smirking. “After all, without criminals, we detectives would be out of work.”

Kaito just rolls his eyes and zips up the bag. He can’t take too much, since they don’t want to be seen leaving with a large bag they hadn’t had when they arrived, but he feels much better knowing he has more now than just what he happened to have on him at the heist.

“Come on then, oh great detective.” He slings the bag over his shoulder. “We should get back to your place.”

“Right.” Kudo nods. “I told Ran I would be back for dinner.”

They leave Kaito’s house, Chikage promising to contact them when she’s moved to her safe house. They remove their disguises in the bathroom at Beika Station. Kaito’s bag includes some of his clothes, so he puts on his own, non-Kid clothes for the first time since the heist. Kudo settles for turning his shirt inside out to hide the dinosaur design. They make it back to the Kudo house safely, and without noticing anyone watching or following them.

Of course, as Kudo is quick to point out, just because they hadn’t seen anyone doesn’t mean no one is there.


End file.
